A New Beginning
by SoulOfAFangirl684
Summary: Next Generation story. Five years after the death of her father, Ash's daughter is finally old enough to follow in his footsteps and become a Pokemon master... with more than a few bumps in the road along the way, of course. It was supposed to be a fun adventure... And then Nolan Oak decided to tag along.
1. Chapter 1

**So… three one-shots in and I've already broken my new rule about not doing any more chapter stories. And to top it off, this will be a long chapter story… So, please, if you're going to stick with this, follow it or something and have patience. I'm going to try to update in a timely manner, but, well… my good intentions don't always work out the way I want them to.**

**I can not begin to tell you what made me choose Pokemon. I have not been really into Pokemon for a long time, but something recently has rekindled that love. And thus, we have this story.**

**I didn't realize how much character death, or mentions of character death, would be in this story until I started writing chapter one. It is a next generation story, so I suppose it's not all that shocking, but still, I feel bad…**

**A final note: This is set in the future from the first series. So some of the characters you know and love may still be in here, but they'll be older. To clear up any confusion, Gary Oak and Professor Oak are now the same person. He took over.**

**Chapter One: A Parting Gift**

Rose stood before her mirror, staring at her reflection. Blatant nervousness in her big, dark eyes stared back at her. Slowly, she reached up and removed the old, worn hat from her head, clutching it to her chest.

This hat was one of the few things she had left from her dad, and she'd been hoping it would lend her a little courage. So far, it wasn't giving her quite as much strength as she had hoped.

"Rose?"

She jumped, whirling around to face the doorway. "Mom!"

Her mother was a quiet woman. Rose supposed she had once been pretty, but now her face was lined, her wavy brown hair streaked with gray, her blue eyes always tired. Mindy had never been much of a fighter. She enjoyed breeding Pokemon, one of the few things that brought the shine back to her features. And she had loved her husband's spirit. It had come as a surprise even to her when Ash had decided to settle down back in his hometown after finally realizing his dream of conquering the Pokemon league. So many adventures, so many new friends… and Ash had decided to return to little old Pallet Town.

Like her father, Rose loved Pallet Town, and she loved Pokemon. She just wished she'd inherited some of his confidence.

"Are you ready?"

What a question… Was she ready? Could she ever really be ready for such a huge step in her life? Today Rose was ten. Today she would be getting her first Pokemon.

She took one last look in the mirror. Simple white t-shirt, baggy purple jacket. Check. Worn pair of sneakers. Check. Her straight, black hair fell down to the waist of her blue jeans. And the hat, of course. She took a deep breath.

"Yeah, Mom. I'm ready."

Rose followed her mother downstairs, where breakfast was laid out on the table. On the counter sat a new black backpack, which Rose had stuffed full of other supplies the night before.

As mother and daughter sat down to breakfast, an old Pokemon slowly made his way up to the table, crawling into the chair on Rose's other side. Her mother glanced worriedly at him.

"Pikachu didn't eat his breakfast this morning."

Rose offered a forkful of her pancakes to the Pokemon, but Pikachu just yawned, curled up into a ball on the chair, and went to sleep.

When Ash had first gotten sick, he'd sent the rest of his many Pokemon to various daycare centers and training facilities so they could help in the growth of younger trainers and their teams. Pikachu, however, had stayed with him through the whole ordeal.

Ash's oldest friend had been inconsolable for weeks afterward when Ash died five years ago. Eventually, Pikachu had refocused himself, choosing to watch over Ash's daughter, always close by. Once upon a time, Rose had imagined herself taking Pikachu with her when she set off on her own travels. As she got older, she had gradually come to accept that this was a near-impossible fantasy. Pikachu was just too old to make the journey.

"It's okay," Rose whispered, leaning down close to gently stroke Pikachu's fur. Her mother rose from the table as the phone rang and Rose whispered into Pikachu's ear, "I'll come back and tell you all sorts of exciting stories."

She straightened back up in her seat and took another bite of her breakfast as her mother said into the telephone, "Yes, of course. Thank you. She'll be over soon."

Mindy sat back down across the table while Rose attempted to look like she hadn't just been blatantly eavesdropping. Her mother picked up her fork as well, continuing to eat as if she was oblivious to her daughter's burning curiosity. At last, Rose lost the battle with her willpower.

"Who was that on the phone?"

Her mother smiled. "Gary Oak. He says he's ready when you are."

Rose's eyes widened and she began to shovel as much food into her mouth as possible without choking. Nervous as she was, she was excited as well. Rose had been waiting for this day for a long time. Her mother laughed.  
"Slow down, honey! There'll still be a Pokemon left for you when you're done."

"I bet that's what Dad thought, too," she mumbled around a mouthful of food.

Mindy glanced at the sleeping Pikachu and smiled. "Yes, well, everything seemed to work out just fine for him."

Rose stood up, dropping her fork to her plate with a clatter. "Done!" she announced, grabbing her back off the counter and heading out the door. "I'll see you later, Mom!"

It was a beautiful day- perfect for the start of her journey. Rose slung the backpack over her shoulder as she walked the familiar streets of Pallet Town. She worked to control her nerves. She simultaneously wanted to put this day off for another few months and had to resist running to get there.

Rose encountered no one on the way there. It was still quite early, after all. She carefully closed the gate behind her and made her way up to the Oak lab. She knocked on the door and a voice inside called, "It's open!"

Rose walked in, closing that door behind her as well, calling, "It's me, Professor!"

"Ah!" Gary Oak stuck his head into the doorway from the next room. "Morning, Rose. Are you ready to get started?" He chuckled when she nodded, trying to look confident. "Well, all right, then. In here."

Rose was no stranger to Professor Oak's laboratory. Gary Oak was a family friend, and she'd been into the back room numerous times in her life, helping out with Pokemon like she did at home, but today, this room held a special meaning for her. Today, this would be the room where she got her first Pokemon of her own.

Professor Oak smiled at her, beckoning her closer when she stopped just inside the door. Rose walked up to the counter where Gary sat on a stood in front of his computer. She could see the dark circles underneath his eyes, but this was nothing unusual. The professor worked long, odd hours.

"Here. These are yours." He handed her six Pokeballs and a Pokedex. She could see her own name- Delia Rose Ketchum- inscribed at the top. "As you know, you can only travel with six Pokemon at a time. So after you take one from here, you can only actively use five of these six balls. Once you've caught a seventh Pokemon, you'll have to choose one to send back through the transport system built into your Pokedex. I'll take care of your spares until you're ready to take them back. And Dexter, your Pokedex, is programmed solely to help you in any way it can. But, of course, you know all this already."

Rose nodded and took the gifts from him. He watched her for a moment, chuckling at her impatience.

"All right, then. I guess you're ready for the big event." Gary pressed a button on the machine beside him and the top opened, revealing the Pokeballs inside. Rose could only stare, a little taken aback.

"Huh? Professor… Aren't there usually _three_ Pokemon?"

Gary scratched the back of his head sheepishly and said, "Well, yes, Rose. You're exactly right. But you see… I just haven't had the time to go out and catch another one since my son left on his journey a month ago. I guess I never really noticed how much he helped out until he was gone."

Rose nodded silently, feeling a little awkward. Nolan Oak was a prankster, exactly one month older than she. Put simply, Rose tried to stay out of his way as much as possible. She hadn't gone to say goodbye a month ago, and she doubted he would have come around to wish her well had the roles been reversed. She didn't even know which Pokemon he had taken with him. And that hadn't presented her with any complications… until now.

The professor cleared his throat self-consciously and said, "Well, did you have a certain Pokemon in mind?"

Now it was Rose's turn to duck her head bashfully. Though she had rationalized her choice in her head, it now seemed irresponsible to have arrived so ill-prepared.

"Actually, I thought I'd let fate decide."

"Fate…" he repeated blankly.

She nodded and held out her pointer finger. She pointed to the one on the right, then quickly began to switch back and forth, an old nursery rhyme playing in her head. Once the tune was finished, her finger remained aimed at the Pokeball on the left.

"I choose this one!" she declared, reaching out and cradling the ball in her palm. Professor Oak looked a little lost for words.

Rose took a deep breath and called, "Come on out!", throwing the Pokeball.

They watched as the Pokeball split open, releasing its occupant with a dazzling light. When the light finally dimmed, the Pokemon blinked its big eyes, turned around to look at her, and opened its mouth wide.

"Squirtle!" it proclaimed proudly.

Rose gasped, also wide-eyed. In truth, she would have been delighted no matter what Pokemon had emerged from the ball, but the moment she had set eyes on Squirtle, the adventure looming before her had suddenly seemed more real.

"Professor Oak… he's perfect!" she exclaimed.

Gary hesitated for a moment before saying, "Yes, he certainly is… something."

But Rose ignored the apparent misgivings in his voice. She had already knelt down on the floor to be closer to her new Pokemon. However, Squirtle was paying little attention to her. Eyes still wide, mouth still gaping open, the Squirtle was rushing around the room from one gadget to the next, checking things out. Gary trailed off, realizing he wasn't about to get through to either of them.

After a few minutes with little progress at capturing Squirtle's attention, Rose finally returned him to his Pokeball. Gary followed her outside where the found someone waiting for them.

"Mom! What are you doing here?"

"I knew you would want to head off on your journey right away. I figured it was probably better if I came to you."

This stopped Rose in her tracks. She really had been so caught up in the events of the day that she'd forgotten all about going back home to say goodbye. She blushed, ashamed, but her mother only smiled knowingly.

Then Mindy sighed. "Are you sure you don't want to take along a cell phone or something?"

Rose shook her head. The world had changed a lot since the days her father had traveled the world. This was a conversation she had had with her mother many times before, but Rose was determined to do this the old way. Having as little technology as possible, with no one to rely on but herself, her Pokemon, and maybe a few friends she met along the way.

"I'm sure, Mom. I'll call you when I get to the Pokemon Center, okay?"

"Oh, wait! That's not the only reason I came! I have something for you."

"What?" Rose came closer curiously. Her mother slung the bag she'd been carrying down her arm and held it out to her, opening it to reveal what was inside. Rose gasped. "For… me?"

Inside lay an egg. Small, yellow streaks could be seen across the otherwise white surface. Her mother handed her the bag, which could still fit comfortably over her shoulder with her backpack on her back. Mindy laughed softly at her daughter's astonishment.

"What is it?"

"It's a surprise." Her mother winked and brought a finger up to her lips. "But don't worry. I think you'll like it."

Rose was well-versed in caring for an egg, and coming from her house, she knew that practically anything could be inside this one. Her eyes filled up with tears.

"Mom… Thank you so much!" She hoisted the bag over her shoulder and flung her arms around her mother.

Mindy hugged her back, hard, and whispered in her ear, "Your dad would be so proud of you, honey… Good luck. I love you."

"I love you, too," she sniffed out. So much for getting out of town without any emotional goodbyes. But when she pulled away from her mother, she knew she was ready.

Rose wiped her eyes and shifted the bag a little further up onto her shoulder.

"Goodbye," she said, her words heartfelt. "I'll miss both of you. I'll make sure to call you as soon as I'm able."

Gary smiled. "Take care, Rose. And if you see my kid out there on the road, remind _him_ to call home once in a while, okay?"

She smiled. "Will do, Professor. Goodbye!"

Rose walked to the top of the hill before she looked back to see her mother and Professor Oak still watching her. She looked out over her hometown- the only place she'd ever known- before turning to leave for the first time. Her journey had begun.

**Review please!**

**I don't own Pokemon. **

**Wow... We're only into the first chapter and I've already killed off Ash, Ash's mom (where Rose got her name) and Professor Oak... I'm going back and rewatching Pokemon from the beginning and seeing Ash when he was the epitome of innocence and naivete, and I'm just thinking... Oh my god... I killed Ash! But the show must go on, I suppose...**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I know I warned you all that there would be a delay… but there was an even bigger delay than I had planned for. I had another project (a one-shot for the TMNT 30****th**** anniversary) with an actual deadline. Although… Optimistically, I was hoping to get a new chapter out at least once a month and, considering that even with the other one-shot taking up a lot of my time, I've only missed my imaginary deadline by five days…**

**Thank you for reviewing chapter one: **_J'aimel'anime44163_, **and **_Y-ko._

**Chapter Two: A New Companion**

Gary and Mindy stayed where they were, watching until Rose was out of sight. When the girl did clear the crest of the hill, Mindy sighed, unwilling to turn away.

"She'll be okay," Gary tried to assure her. "Rose is tougher than she looks. Although…"

Mindy turned to stare when he hesitated. She didn't say anything, but the quiet woman's gaze was piercing. A silent interrogation. It was enough.

He ducked his head and grimaced. "Well… To be honest… I'd be more comfortable if she'd chosen Charmander."

Rose's mother raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong with Squirtle?"

"No, not _wrong_, per se…"

"If you've got something to say, say it," Mindy advised sharply.

The professor sighed. "The Squirtle I had at the lab is very young. It's very excitable, easily distracted… A hyperactive case if I've ever seen one. I worry that Rose will have trouble working with Squirtle."

Despite the implications in his words, Rose's mother seemed relieved. For the first time since her daughter's departure, Mindy smiled. "I have faith that they will help each other grow. You said it yourself, she's stronger than she looks. After all… she is _his_ daughter."

**. Focus . Switch .**

Rose didn't get very far before she stopped. As soon as her hometown was out of sight, she set the egg down carefully in the grass and eased the pack off her shoulders. She quickly rifled through it to make sure everything was still there. A tent and sleeping bag were folded as small as they could possibly be at the bottom, (she knew it might take a few days to get to Viridian City) covered by a few extra sets of clothes, snacks, and bottles of water.

Two small pouches sat on top. One held all her money and the few small, worldly possessions she owned, (including her father's old, folded up hat) and the other was empty. She took this one out and hooked it around her waist, filling it with the Pokedex and six unoccupied Pokeballs. Squirtle's Pokeball she put in the front pocket of her jacket.

Rose resumed walking. As the day wore on, the elation of the morning slowly wore off. The sun was beating down, and it occurred to her that she should've packed sunscreen. She stopped for lunch when she reached the edge of the woods that bordered Pallet.

She turned the last bite of her sandwich around in her fingers. The forest loomed ahead of her. Rose had always considered herself to be fairly independent, even if she was a little shy. She certainly wasn't afraid of being alone… But Pokemon trainers traveled with Pokemon for a reason, right? And that reason could very well be companionship.

Rose swallowed the last bite and took her first steps into the forest. When she was completely enveloped by the trees, she took Squirtle's Pokeball out of her pocket.

The day had been surprisingly quiet. Granted, the fields outside of Pallet Town weren't exactly 'the wild', but she hadn't seen so much as a flock of Pidgey flying overhead all day. Now her voice broke through the silence. "Squirtle… come on out!"

When the light faded, the Tiny Turtle Pokemon was standing before her. Squirtle looked around expectantly but found no waiting opponent. However, this observation did little to discourage him. With wide, excited eyes, the Squirtle darted from one tree to the next, exploring.

"Ah, Squirtle!" she called, her voice bordering on frantic when he showed no sign of having heard her. She hurried after him as he continued to move farther away. "Wait!"

Luckily, Squirtles, like most Water Pokemon, weren't exactly made for speed outside of the water. But her lack of authority still had her panicked. When her Pokemon finally _did_ stop, she wasn't reassured.

Squirtle peeked around another tree trunk but stopped abruptly when a Rattata scurried out of a nearby patch of grass. Both trainer and Pokemon froze.

Rose hesitated. She knew that, as a trainer, it should be her goal to catch more Pokemon, but the Rattata before her looked far older and more experienced. The way it hissed at them and the nasty scar through its left eye made it appear downright feral- the exact opposite of innocent and excitable Squirtle. Frankly, it was intimidating.

"…Squirtle-" But before she could order him either forward or back, the young Pokemon had darted forward, eager to check out their new friend. Unfortunately, Rattata wasn't feeling too friendly.

Rose cried out at the wild Pokemon's sudden movement, and the Scratch sent Squirtle reeling, attempting to reach the injured area with his stubby arms. But then the situation took a turn for the worse.

As the Rattata backed away menacingly, it began to glow with a bright light. Hands shaking, Rose felt her heart begin to beat even faster. The light died and an even meaner-looking Raticate replaced the previous Pokemon.

Meanwhile, Squirtle was just blinking his eyes back open. He was recovering but still in no condition to battle. And the Raticate looked ready to go another round.

Tears began to well up in her eyes. What was she supposed to _do_?!

Luckily, she didn't have to do anything.

"Razor Leaf!"

She looked up sharply as the attack rained down from above, but she couldn't pinpoint the source. Was someone in the trees?

The leaves sliced through the glass between them, but didn't actually harm either Pokemon. However, it did succeed in separating the two. The Raticate turned and ran, disappearing further on into the forest. Rose slowly sunk down to her knees and took a deep, relief-filled breath. The danger had passed.

This was when she finally spotted the Bulbasaur on the tree branch above. It was using its vines to lower its trainer to the ground.

The boy ignored her completely and rushed to Squirtle's aid, leaving Bulbasaur to lower itself to the ground as well. The boy knelt down in front of the Water-type and pulled out a handkerchief and a bottle of water.

Rose stared at the back of his head, sure there was something familiar about that unkempt, sandy-colored hair. A pair of scrutiny-filled hazel eyes came to mind, too, but it wasn't all coming together just yet.

"This is going to sting a little," he warned gently as he wet the handkerchief. Squirtle protested in pain but allowed the boy to clean the scrapes.

But when he scolded her, his words were anything but gentle. "Hey, kid, what do you think you're doing? You need to be more careful. Your Pokemon could have gotten seriously hurt!"

It was around this time that Rose recognized him, his name clicking into place in her mind. Having to be saved by a stranger would have been embarrassing enough. The fact that she'd had to be saved by _this_ boy was mortifying!

He may have continued to reprimand her, but at that moment, he recognized her too. His expression lost its harshness, and his mouth fell open. "No way…"

She cringed, waiting for the inevitable. And he didn't disappoint.

"Delia Rose… What the heck are you doing out here?"

Inwardly, she groaned. She knew this probably wasn't the way to react to being rescued, but Nolan Oak hardly fit the description of anyone's savior.

Rose knew he was watching her even more carefully now. She was pretty easy-going by nature, but if there was one person who knew how to get under her skin, it was Nolan. And it had been this way since their very first day of school.

**…**

_As a small child, Rose had been looking forward to school. For five years, formal education was mandatory, but once kids reached the age of ten, they had the option to either continue on as students or become certified Pokemon trainers._

_As exciting as the prospect of starting school was, there had never been any question in her mind that she would travel with her own team when she came of age. _(Though the actual start hadn't exactly been all she was imagining yet.)

_Of course, there had been another reason going to school was so appealing. Her father had passed away just a month earlier, and it would be nice to break away from the cocoon of sadness that had enveloped everyone in her life recently, at least for a little while. But she'd run into complications before roll call was even over._

"_Delia Ketchum?"_

_For a minute there was awkward silence. When the teacher looked up, she said quietly, "Rose."_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_My name is Rose."_

_She sunk down in her seat as the other kids glanced around at each other, smirks and whispers and giggles. The teacher reinserted the attendance chart before replying, "Here it says _Delia_ Ketchum."_

"_Delia Rose," she clarified in a mumble. "My name is Rose." _

_She looked down at her desktop as the teacher was silent for another few seconds. At last she said, "That's fine," made a note on her sheet, and moved on to the next name. And that would have been the end of it… if only Nolan Oak had been able to let it go. But the damage was already done._

_That day was the first time that taunting voice had called out to her across the playground. "Deeeliaaaa!" _

_She had turned to find Nolan smirking like an imp._

"_My name is Rose." She was a little more confident now that she didn't have the attention of an entire classroom on her back, but he just shook his head, that irritating smirk stubbornly in place. _

_Eventually, they'd come to some sort of compromise. For the past three years, he'd taken to calling her Delia Rose. She still didn't like it, but Rose figured it was the best she was going to get out of him. _

**…**

Now, in response to his question, she stiffly answered, "I'm a trainer now."

He snorted. "Could've fooled me."

She bit the inside of her cheek, about to retort angrily, when something caught her eye. Nolan's Pokemon had come forward to check on Squirtle, and Rose stopped.

"I know that Pokemon!" she blurted out stupidly. Stupidly, because her mother had raised many Bulbasaurs over the years, but what she had meant was that she recognized this one specifically.

"Yeah," Nolan replied, unconcerned. "You and your mother hatched him."

Well, _that_ was an understatement if she'd ever heard one. The egg had been brought to them, already damaged, by a traveling trainer. The trainer had stumbled across a disrupted Venusaur nest and had had the sense to get help for the one egg that had not been completely destroyed. He'd had to settle for a local breeder rather than a Pokemon Center- the Ketchum household was just closer.

It had been the right choice. Mindy was just as experienced as a professional Pokenurse and fully capable of caring for an egg. But it had been a difficult process all the same.

The egg had come to them with frightening cracks. Mindy had looked it over and called in Nurse Joy from the next town over. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to help them much.

"This egg has suffered a lot of damage…" she had told them. "It's a miracle that it made it this far. I'm afraid there may not be much we can do." They determined that the egg was too fragile to be moved anywhere else, and Nurse Joy had left Pallet Town with a grim expression.

But Mindy hadn't been ready to give up on it just yet. She kept it warm and protected at all times, rarely leaving the house for the duration of the egg's stay. Mindy had been teaching her daughter to care for Pokemon, but she didn't let Rose near this case. It was just too delicate.

However, despite the close, near-obsessive care Mindy Ketchum gave to this egg, nothing she did could prevent it from hatching early. The woman had been keeping a bedside vigil beside the incubator for the past few nights, and when the egg did hatch, her frantic actions had woken her daughter. Rose had rushed down the stairs to see a Bulbasaur slumped among the crumbled remains of its shelter.

The Pokemon was tiny- a true runt- and barely breathing, but he was a fighter.

Five days later, his heartbeat finally steadied to a constant, healthy pace. Three days after that, he opened his eyes for the first time. Rose had cried at the sight, and she hadn't missed her mother drying her own eyes.

The two still had to spend the next year working with Bulbasaur every day to get him up to the same development level as the other Pokemon. Ultimately, he had been sent on to stay with Professor Oak, to live in a controlled, yet Pokemon-filled environment. They figured this was the closest he would ever get to living in the wild. Bulbasaur had overcome incredible odds… but he would never be able to battle and travel as a trainer's companion.

…Or so she had thought.

Now that she saw him out here in the true wild, he looked perfectly healthy. He was still small- roughly half the size of Squirtle, tiny really- but in this setting, 'small' didn't seem to equate to 'weak' anymore. After all, she'd seen his vines support Nolan's weight with her own eyes.

At last, she stammered out, "I… didn't think Professor Oak was going to give Bulbasaur to a trainer. I thought we agreed that he was too weak for battle."

Nolan's look turned hard again. "Even the weakest Pokemon can grow under the guidance of the right trainer." He looked pointedly at Squirtle and she flushed.

The Pokemon seemed oblivious to the growing tension between their trainers. In fact, the two seemed to be getting along splendidly. But they both looked over when Rose got angrily to her feet.

The girl had had an emotionally-exhausting day. Between the excitement of the morning and the panic of the afternoon, she was about ready to snap.

"What's with you?!" she demanded now. "You've _always_ put me down and made me feel awful about myself, and it better stop right now!"

Nolan had gotten to his feet, too, an icy look in his eyes. "Or else what? Are you going to challenge me?" He grabbed another Pokeball and held it out in front of him.

Rose hesitated. Nolan had the eyes of a general about to order his troops to battle. He was serious.

The part of her that was still functioning logically know that she couldn't fight him. For one, she only had Squirtle, who had been her Pokemon for less than a day and didn't seem too keen on listening to any of her commands. And besides that, they would be violating the very first rule of Pokemon ethics: Trainers should never force Pokemon to battle to solve their own disputes.

But a little voice was nagging in the back of her mind. _Toughen up, Rose! You've spent your entire life backing down from Nolan's challenges. Just this once, wouldn't you like to prove him wrong? _

Looking back, Rose wasn't sure _what _she would have done next. Luckily, the decision was made for her. At that moment, their Pokemon rushed forward, barring their trainers' paths. Rose tore her eyes away from the irritating boy in front of her and focused on Squirtle. The Tiny Turtle had his arms held out to his sides, silently looking her in the eyes and shaking his head. It was the calmest Rose had ever seen him, and the sight made her feel foolish.

Her posture slumped a little and Squirtle seemed to relax. A few feet away, she could see Nolan turning away from the stare-down with Bulbasaur, taking a deep breath and putting the other Pokeball away. He was the first to speak.

"Sorry. I guess it's just… been a long day."

She smiled back sheepishly, pleasantly surprised by his apology. "Yeah. You can say that again."

He knelt down and affectionately rubbed the top of Bulbasaur's head. "Thanks, buddy. I was getting kind of crazy there for a minute, huh?"

His Pokemon didn't hesitate to nod, and Nolan grinned. But when he looked back to her, she didn't miss the familiar glint of mischief in his eyes.

"How 'bout I make it up to you, Delia Rose?"

"Umm…"

He pushed ahead. "You want to be some great trainer, but you don't know how to get through to your Pokemon. Lucky for you, I have enough confidence for both of us. What do you say?"

It took a minute for the meaning of his words to sink in. He wanted to come with her. Her immediate reaction was to run and keep running until she was so far away, Nolan Oak would never find her again. Of course she didn't want his company! He'd turn an exciting journey into a living nightmare!

But she had to admit, though grudgingly, that there was truth in his words. The difference between his amount of real-life experience and hers was incomparable. She could definitely benefit from a little coaching.

So she took a deep breath and, convinced she was making the worst mistake of her life, gave him his answer.

"Fine."

**Review please!**

**I don't own Pokemon. **

**Though they don't get along, I really like writing Nolan's character. Hmm… Maybe it's **_**because**_** they don't get along that I enjoy writing Nolan's character… Oh well. It should only get more interesting from here. ^^ Hopefully.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, readers! The last update came a little late, so I'm going to put this one up a little early. This is sort of coincidental, as I just happen to have this done early. Unfortunately, this also means this chapter is a little shorter, but I'm happy with where I ended it.**

**As an added note, for anyone who's keeping track of this story's timeline, Rose's birthday is August 25, Nolan's is July 25. Just something I thought I should add as time is mentioned in this chapter. **

**Thank you for reviewing chapter 2: **_BlueJeger_

**Chapter Three: Purpose**

The two had returned their Pokemon to their Pokeballs, and Rose quickly regretted it. She and Nolan had continued walking through the forest, making good time, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could stand his company.

They had an… interesting relationship, to put it mildly. She hesitated to say she _hated _him… But they definitely got along better when they didn't have to spend time together. Whenever Rose had gone over to help Professor Oak, she had always tried to do it at times when she knew Nolan would not be home.

So she did her best not to acknowledge him now. Unfortunately, he'd never been the type to be affected by awkward silences. As they walked, Nolan chattered on about nothing in particular, mostly to himself. There was only one instance in which her input was required.

"So what's in the egg?"

"Wh-what?" His resulting silence shook her out of her own thoughts. She realized he was waiting for an answer to a question she hadn't heard. He pointed to the bag slung across her shoulders.

"The egg," he repeated. "What will it be once it's hatched?"

"Oh, I, uh… I don't know," she admitted. "It's a surprise."

He nodded before quickly moving on to something else, and Rose let her mind wander once more.

**…**

It was already dark when the two settled down in a little clearing to camp for the night. After Nolan's incessant chatter during the day, the quiet was a little eerie. The two set up their sleeping bags in silence.

Though she had been walking all day, Rose felt restless. Once they were settled in their sleeping bags, she asked, "Should we bring out the Pokemon?" if only to break the silence.

Nolan turned to her and smiled a familiar cheeky grin. "Why? You scared?"

"No! I just thought they might be unhappy, cooped up in their Pokeball for so long."

He shrugged in a way that seemed to communicate that he was just teasing. "I don't think it bothers them."

Rose brought out Squirtle anyway, almost defiantly, but he promptly fell asleep, leaving her to lay awake again.

It was almost September… It was odd to think that school would be starting up again soon and she would not be there to witness it. Had she really only been away from home for one day, not even a full 24 hours? It felt like it had been at least a month ago that she'd been rushing to Professor Oak's lab, excited about getting her first Pokemon. For Nolan, it _had_ been a month. How bizarre. Actually, come to think of it…

"Nolan?" She whispered his name, even though it was hardly like there was anyone around to punish her for staying up late.

"Yeah?" he whispered back.

"You've had Bulbasaur for a month now, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I was wondering… What are you still doing in this forest?"

He was quiet for so long that for a minute Rose thought he had fallen asleep. But when he did respond it was with a question of his own. "I know you've only been gone one day, but do you ever wonder why you left home?"

"What an odd question." And she gave him an odd look to match. "I left to become a Pokemon trainer, of course."

"Yeah, but… for what purpose?"

"Purpose?" she repeated, beginning to understand what he was getting at. She'd always known she wanted to be a trainer, and she knew what was expected of Pokemon trainers, but what did she really want out of this adventure?

"I've been thinking… ever since I left," he continued. "I mean, I love Pokemon, but I don't really have an interest in contests or gym battles. Breeding sounds like it would require settling down at the lab. And I don't want to turn into some sort of collector… I guess what really appealed to me about becoming a trainer is that I'd be able to get away from home."

"So… you stayed in the woods?" she asked.

"I wasn't sure where else to go," he admitted. "Whenever another trainer would pass by, I'd ask them about their plans. It kind of started to feel like everyone else knew exactly what they wanted in life. So I stayed here with Bulbasaur, and we trained. And then you came along." He grinned at her. "I guess I found my purpose."

"Yes," she murmured to herself as he turned back over, "but I'm not sure I have…"

His answer should have stilled her racing thoughts, but Rose found that she was still wide awake. She'd had no idea that Nolan had such a strong dislike for their hometown. She knew plenty of other kids who couldn't wait to get out of Pallet and explore the world, but nothing had ever seemed to faze Nolan before.

Her mind wandered to thoughts of their parents. She wondered if the house felt empty without her. At least her mother had the Pokemon to keep her company. She supposed the same could be said for Professor Oak at his laboratory.

It struck her, suddenly, that the anniversary of Nolan's mother death was coming up, too. Three years ago, a fire had broken out in the professor's lab while he was away. His wife had rushed through the building, getting all of the Pokemon out to safety. She had collapsed once out herself and succumbed to smoke inhalation later in the hospital.

It had been a grim time in her household, only two years after her father's death. Actually, now that she thought of it, Nolan had first added the 'Rose' to how he addressed her after his mother's funeral.

**…**

Rose was still awake, staring into the darkness when she heard her name.

"Delia Rose," he whispered. A second later he shook her shoulder, none too gently.

"What?" she hissed back.

"Come on! It's time for your first lesson."

She sat up grudgingly. "Lesson?"

Nolan smirked, nodded, and turned to rifle through his bag. Rose sighed and shrugged on her jacket as he pulled out a flashlight. Quietly, she returned Squirtle to his Pokeball and followed after the boy.

"Where are we going?" she whispered.

But he only shushed her and continued walking. He kept the beam of his flashlight low to the ground so as not to startle anything in the trees.

Rose continually glanced from side to side, but the forest all looked the same to her in the dark. Nolan seemed to know where he was going, though. They walked in silence for some time until Nolan stopped abruptly. She bumped into him, and he put out an arm to keep her back.

She followed his lead as he quickly ducked behind a tree. They crouched there in silence until, with a grin, he pointed a finger to the dark sky.

Rose looked up and cringed back instinctively when she spotted the swarm of Beedrill flying overhead.

"Nolan!" she hissed, trying to keep the alarm out of her voice. "What are we doing here?!"

"Catching you a Pokemon," he whispered back with a wink. He took out an empty Pokeball and tried to hand it to her, but she pulled out one of her own, though she still wasn't totally convinced.

"Are you crazy?" she demanded. "In the middle of a _Beedrill nest_?!"

He rolled his eyes like she was missing the point. "They've left the place unguarded. Come on."

Hesitantly, she followed him out of their hiding place and up to the big tree. They stopped once they were standing a few feet away, and her mouth fell open. Dozen upon dozen of Kakuna hung from the branches. The Cocoon Pokemon all turned to look at them, but nothing made a sound.

Rose glanced nervously at Nolan, understanding what he meant for her to do. "Don't you think this is kind of… cheating?"

He sounded exasperated. "Delia Rose… there aren't exactly a lot of rules to follow. You have to learn somehow, right? And as far as I can see, they don't belong to anyone else, so… go for it."

Rose tossed the empty ball back and forth between her hands anxiously a few times before finally gripping it tightly and taking a step forward.

The Kakuna all turned to stare at her, and she swallowed. In one sudden movement, before she could lose her nerve, Rose chucked the ball at the nearest one. The other Kakuna were still utterly silent and motionless. The only movement was that of the Pokeball capturing the Pokemon and then falling to the ground.

For a moment, Rose stared at the Pokeball on the ground. She jumped when Nolan hissed, "Well? Hurry up! Let's get out of here before the Beedrill come back!"

Rose darted forward and snatched up the Pokeball, a little thrill passing though her like a shudder.

"Sorry," she whispered to the many Kakuna still hanging above her. Then she nearly sprinted back to their hiding place, grabbing ahold of Nolan's shirtsleeve midst ride and pulling him along behind her. She quickly let him take the lead. By the time they returned to camp, they were breathless with laughter.

They sank down to sitting positions, grinning wildly at each other. Back here, surrounded by the familiar setting of her camp, it was almost as if they had never left. Rose clutched the Pokeball to her chest, scarcely able to believe what had just happened.

Nolan's chuckles petered out and a yawn took their place. He lay back, smile still in place. Arms folded behind his head, he closed his eyes and mumbled, "'Night, Delia Rose."

Rose smiled, waiting until she was sure he'd fallen asleep to whisper back, "Thank you."

**Review please!**

**I don't own Pokemon.**

**Chapter three is done. (: Chapter four should be a little longer. Chapter four will also include a drastic change of tone… **


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